Burmese migrant workers in Thailand feel any attempt to exercise their right to franchise in Burma’s first national election in 20 years will be confusing, complicated and difficult.

The Yaung Chii Oo Workers Association working for Burmese migrants on workplace issues estimates that of three million Burmese migrant workers in Thailand at least 750,000 are ineligible because of their legal status in Burma.

For workers, who can vote, the cost of going back to Burma is prohibitive and many fear they will also lose their jobs.

Daw Cho, a factory worker and mother of four said that she like many workers can legally vote but she will not.

“I may lose my job. It is expensive to travel to my area to vote and it is difficult. I am from Rangoon and I voted in 1990. However, this election will not change anything,” she added.

Daw Cho said the last election made her cynical about the military regime’s aim to hold elections in 2010.

“We suffered in the last election. Aung San Suu Kyi’s party recorded a landslide victory but was not allowed to assume power.  The power stayed in the hands of the military. I have no faith in this election,” she said.

Daw Cho said the regime has been planning its election victory for a long time.

“In 2009, they [military government] increased civil servants salaries and many more people became civil servants. They will order the civil servants to vote for them,” she added.

Naw Say, a domestic worker in Bangkok agrees with Daw Cho saying that going back to Burma for the election will be difficult.

“I don’t think I will be going back for the election. I have to work and I will not have time to go back home,” she said.

Naw Say has two children who stay in Pa-an, Burma with her parents.

“I send money home for my parents and children. Burma is very different from Thailand. I want development for my country. Everything needs to be improved; education, healthcare, communication and transportation. Now, it is very difficult to get a car to bring my father over for an eye operation,” she said.

Daw Cho also said Burma desperately needs a good government and added the current political situation in Burma is not satisfactory.

“We need to improve the condition of [Burma’s] education, healthcare, economics, cost of living and living standards of people. We don’t want to see our children slave [work] in other countries.”

“We are still very far from the kind of government that will bring positive change. I think only a leader like Daw Suu Kyi would bring that sort of change to Burma,” she continued.

But the likelihood of Daw Cho’s political preference coming to power is remote. The 2008 constitution bans Aung San Suu Kyi from contesting the elections. In response her party, the National League for Democracy, has boycotted the elections.